Synthesis and electrochemical properties of substituted para-benzoquinone derivatives

A facile transformation of pentasubstituted tribromophenol derivatives to the corresponding alkyl-substituted dibromo-p-benzoquinones has been achieved using PbO2 as oxidizing agent in combination with 60% aq HClO4 in acetone in 70-72% yields. The electrochemical properties of these quinones were studied by means of cyclic voltammetry and compared with p-benzoquinone (BQ) and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-benzoquinone (DDQ) recorded under identical experimental conditions.